System of telegraphic distribution.



' P atented Den. 9; I902.

' No. 7I5,Ii96.

H. A. ROWLAND, Dec'd.

u. H. ROWLAND. Administi'aIrix. SYSTEM OF TELEGRAPIIIG DISTRIBUTION.

hpplicntion filed Dec. 11, 1901.

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m: NORRIS PEfERs 00., PHOTO-HINDU WASHIHGYON, OTC

No. 75,696. Patented Dec. 9, I902. H. A. ROWLAND, Decd. H. H: ROWLAND.Administratrix.

SYSTEM OF TELE GRAPHID DISTRIBUTION. (Application filad Dec. 11, 1901.)

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No.' 75,696. Patented Dec. 9, I902.

H. A. ROWLAND, DQGII. I H. H. ROWLAND. Administratrix. SYSTEM OFTELEGRAPH; DISTRIBUTION.

(Application filed Dec. 11, 19011,

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i-ATENT OFFICE.

HENRIETTA l-I. ROWLAND, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ADMINISTRATRIX OF HENRYAUGUSTUS ROWLAND, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO ROWLAND TELEGRAPHIC COMPANY, OFBAL OF NEW JERSEY.

TIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION SYSTEM OF TELEGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,696, dated December9, 1902.

Application filed December 11, 1901. Serial No. 85,520. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that HENRY A. ROWLAND, deceased, late a citizen of theUnited States, re-. siding at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland,did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of TelegraphicDistribution, (Case M,) of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable anyone skilled in the art towhich to it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in systems of telegraphy, andmore especially to an improved synchronous system of telegraphicdistribution.

The object of the invention is to place a plurality of substations orsubscribers in one locality in telegraphic communication, throughcentral stations and over a single line connecting the two centralstations, with a plurality of substations or subscribers in anotherlocality.

This invention may thus be utilized for reducing the number of so-calledprivate wires, which usually extend between large cities, as betweenbrokers oflices in New York and Chicago, by causing one wire connectingthe two cities to carry the messages of a plurality of independentsubscribers in both cities.

It is not infrequently the case that private wires connecting brokersoffices are tam pered with by outside parties with a View of delayingthe reception of stock reports by certain brokers, thus allowing othersto receive them 5 in advance. This evil is practically overcome by thepresent system or largely less eued, as the reports for quite a numberof subscribers pass over the same line, and hence any tampering with theline will have the same eifect upon all. If the main line isduplex,.which will be the case generally, unbalancing the line bytampering with it renders it inoperative for all subscribers using it.Furthermore, one party is prevented from receiving messages intended foranother, as by tapping the wires. This is due to the fact that theoperation of the system depends upon the establishment of synchronismand upon certain fixed angular positions of current distributingsunflowers at the sending and receiving stations, respectively.

It is therefore practically impossible for some outside party, unless heknows the setting of the sunflower which receives the messages that hewishes to steal, to properly set his instrument. The system is,moreover, adapted to operate with recording apparatus which will printthe messages or reportsdirectly as they are received. 1

A further object of the said invention is the accomplishment of theabove without the use of repeating apparatus at the central stations,thereby dispensing with expensive and complicated instruments whichwouldotherwise be employed.

Moreover, the invention contemplates the operation of the system over analternatingcurrent circuit, thus enabling the messages to be transmittedmuch greater distances without relaying and without a diminution ofspeed than could otherwise be done.

The nature and objects of the invention will be more clearly understoodfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in Which Figure 1 is a diagram, illustrating the principle ofthe said invention, showing principally the main-line connections. Fig.2 is a diagram of the connections of a substation or subscribers outfit;and Figs. 3 and 4 repre- 8o sent, respectively, a side elevation and topplan view of the apparatus for driving the sunflower-trailers.

Similar letters and numeralsrefer to similar parts throughout theseveral views. In the specific form of the invention shown' in theaccompanying drawings, L represents a duplex telegraph-line connectingtwo stations X' and Y, which will be hereinafter designated centralstations to more clearly 9o distinguish them from the substations. Ateach of these central stations is located a main-line relay E, havingits coils traversed by the real line L and artificial line L after anywell-known or suitable method of duplex- 5 ing. The current of the mainline L continues through the relays E at the central stations andpasses, as by Wire L, to the various substations A B O D and A B O D,respectively. In Fig. 1 this line L is shown as returning to the centralstation, though it is obvious that it may terminate in a substation, ifdesired.

F F represent alternating-current dynamos or other sources ofperiodically-varying current furnishing the current for signaling andfor other purposes and located either at the respective centralstations, as shown, or at one of substations, if desired.

The tongue-contacts of the relay E at each central station are connectedto the terminals of a source of direct-current supplyas, for example,across the terminals of an Edison one hundred and ten volt circuitacrosswhich are connected the condensers G. The tongue of each of these relaysis connected to one of the terminals of the primary of a transformer H,while the other terminal of the said primary is connected to a pointbetween the condensers, as shown. One of the terminals of the secondaryof this transformer is connected to earth,while the other connects tothe 1ineL This line L passes to the several substations, as shown, andforms what will be hereinafter designated the local receiving-circuit.The line L being duplex, the relay E at station Y will be operated onlyby current from the dynamo at the other station, and likewise withrespect to the main-line relay at station X this will be operated and bycurrent from the dynamo at station Y. The tongues of the relays E thusvibrating by the current from the distant dynamos will by the alternatecharging and discharging of the condensers G send through the primariesof their respective transformers alternating or periodic currents inphase with the current produced by the distant dynamo or bearing a fixedphase relation thereto. There will therefore be induced in thesecondaries of the transformers at the respective central stationscurrent which bears a fixed phase relation to the current of the distantdynamo, such secondary currents traversing the respectivereceiving-circuits L L At each substation there is located a mainlinetransmitter T or its equivalent and a main-line receiving-relay R or itsequivalent, the former connected in the circuit L and the latter in thecircuit L In addition to the line instruments each substation isprovided with local apparatus for operating said instruments. Thisapparatus is shown in diagram in Fig. 2 and comprises, among otherparts, a transmittingsunflower TS and a receiving-sunflower RS, eachprovided with a group of insulated segments, preferably corresponding innumber and angular position. In the segment-circuits of thetransmitting-sunflower is connected a keyboard K--such, for example, asshown and described in the patent application of Henrietta H. Rowland,administrathe coil of the transmitter, while the other V terminalthereof is connected to the positive pole of a source of local directcurrent.

The form of keyboard shown is provided with a rotating contact-maker M,which periodically completes the local circuit through the magnet 70 ofthe keyboard, which attracts the clapper k and allows the key to beoperated only when the said magnet is energized. This is effected by thebrushes m becoming short-circuited by the metal strip, as will bereadily seen.

In the segment-circuits of the receivingsunflower are connected thecoils of a bank of selecting-relays N, which are in turn connected tothe common return-wire 1, which connects with the tongue of theline-relay R. The receiving-sunflower trailer is connected, as by wire2, to a point between properly-adjusted resistances 4", connected acrossthe terminals of a source of direct current, and the tongue-contacts ofthe relay R are connected, respectively, to the terminals of said sourceof direct current through proper resistances r.

P represents a printer-such, for example, as that shown and described inthe patent application of Henry A. Rowland for improvements inpageprinters, Serial No. 741,956, filed December 29, 1899, and issued asPatent No. 689,754, granted December 24, 1901. The selecting-relays andprinter simply indicate forms of receiving apparatus operating inconjunction with the sunflower and constitute no immediate part of thepresent invention, as they may be replaced by any other receivingapparatus which will work with this system, if desired. This includeslinotypes or type setting or casting machines, as the system is welladapted for the transmission of press-matter. It is also proposed toemploy Morse recorders.

The segments of the transmitting-sunflower are preferably cut of such awidth and the trailer driven at such a speed that the said trailer willpass over one segment for each semicycle or impulse of the alternatingor other periodically varying line current, though this specificarrangement may be varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention; but in all cases there is a fixed relation between thesegments, speed of the trailer, and variation of the line-current. Thesegments of the receiving-sunflower may be of the same width as those ofthe transmitting-sunflower, but are preferablya little narrower. In casethe apparatus is Worked duplex the receiving-sunflower segmentscorrespond in angular position to those of the transmitting-sunflower atthe same station.

In all cases, however, the receiving-sunflower segments at one stationmust occupy corresponding angular positions to those of thetransmitting-sun flower from which itreceives tion.

' sage is to be received.

for accomplishing this comprises a synchro- At each substation theremust be some means for driving the sunflower-trailers and maintainingsynchronism between the receiving-trailer at one station and thetransmitting-trailer at the station from which the mes- The preferredmeans a regulating-current of a periodically-varying character rotatingin a magnetic field and driven by an independent source of power. In thediagram, Fig. 2, the regulating-coils of this synchronizer are shown asreceiving their regulating-current from condensers t, connected acrossthe terminals of a source of local direct current, which are connectedto the tongue-contacts of a relay R, operated by the current in thelocal receiving-circuit 1.. As the relay-tongue vibrates the condenserswill become alternately charged and will discharge through the coils ofthe said synchronizer and maintain synchronism, as fully described inthe above-mentioned application.

The regulating-coils of the synchronizer may, if desired, be connecteddirectly in the circuit L With the apparatus represented-that is to say,with one synchronizer at each substation for both transmitting andreceiving trailersit is necessary that the dynamos F run in synchronism;but if the dynamos do not run .in synchronism two synchronizers will berequired for each substation-one for the transmitting-trailer and theother for the receiving-trailersince each receiving-trailer at one endof the line must run in synchronism with the dynamo and thetransmitting-trailer at the distant end, or, in other words, thereceiving-trailers operate in synchronism with the dynamo at the distantend of the line, while the transmitting-trailers operate in synchronismwith the dynamo at the near end of the line. Any suitable means may beemployed for synchronizing these dynamossuch, for example,as that shownand described in the patent application of Henry. A. Rowland forimprovements in multiplex printingtelegraphs granted December 24, 1901,No. 689,753.

It will be assumed for the purpose of the present description that themanner in which the intelligence is impressed upon the line issubstantially the same as shown and described in the application ofHenry A. Rowland forimprovements in multiplex printing-telegraphs filedJuly 26, 1897, Serial No. 646,017, and issued as Patent No. 689,753thatis to say, each character is impressed on the line by suppressing orotherwisemodifying a definite number or combination of line impulses.

If a subscriber wishes to transmit a-message, (see Fig. 2,) he operatesthe keys of his keyboard, each key connecting two segmentcircuits in thelocal transmitter-circuit, and when the transmitting-trailer reaches thesegments so connected the magnet of the transmitter will becomeenergized as the said trailer passes over the said segments and willattract its hammer and break the line connection through its contactonce for each of said segments, thereby suppressing two impulses orsemicycles of the line-current. The operator can, however, only operatehis keys when they are unlocked periodically by the clapper k, which isoperated by the magnet 7c, and this magnet, periodically energized bythe plate m of the rotary contact-maker M, short-circuiting the brushesm. If the operator Wishes to send another signal or character, heoperates another key of his keyboard, which connects two other of thesegments in the transmitter-circuit, there being in practice elevensegment-circuitsforsuchcombinations. The invention, however, is by nomeans confined to the use of any specific form of keyboard, or, in fact,to a keyboard at all, as a tapetransmitter-such, forexample, as thatshown and described in the above-mentioned application, Serial No.646,017, or any form of wellknown tape-transmittermay be employed, ifdesired. Moreover, the transmitter T simply represents one of manydevices for moditying the current, which may consist in eithersuppressing the impulses altogether or reducing them in intensity orreversing them or by impressing other impulseson the line, all as shownin prior applications of Henry A. Rowland, which it is not necessary torefer to here in detail, since the specific manner of impressing theintelligence on the line forms no part of the present invention.Normally the vibration of the tongue of theline-relay R sends localcurrents through the coils of the selecting-relays always in the samedirection, but adjacent relays in opposite directionthat is, relay No. 1receives normally a positive impulse, relay No. 2 a negative impulse,relay No. 3 a positive impulse, and so on. When, however, an impulse ofthe line -current is suppressed, the tongue of the relay R remains ICOagainst the contact to which it was last attracted, and thus sends animpulse of opposite sign through one of the selecting-relays. The relaysare so wound that the normal distribution of the current among themsends all of their tongues against their back stops and the passage ofimpulses of opposite sign to the normal sends their tongues againsttheir forward stops. Combinations of the said selecting-relays acting inthis manner close local circuits to a printer P, and each combinationcauses the said printer to record the signal, as fully set forth in theabovementioned patent for improvements in pageprinters, No. 689,754,granted December 24:, 1901. Now letit be assumed that at each end of themain line L there are four subscribers AB C D and A B C D. Thesesubscribers may be all near the respective central stations or anywherewithin a radius of, say, one hundred miles of them. Let it further beassumed that A B C D are four subscribers in New York and A B C Dsubscribers in Chicago and that it be required to establishcommunication between A and A, B and B, O and C, and D and D. If theline is duplex, which we will assume is the case, as shown, eachsubscriber sets his sunflowers so that the segments of the transmittingand receiving sunflowers occupy corresponding angular positions. Therebeing four subscribers at each end of the line, each subscriber may usea quadrant of his sunflowers. The sunflowers are therefore so dividedthat if subscriber A uses one quadrant subscriber A uses a correspondingquadrant, B and B corresponding quadrants, O and O correspondingquadrants, and so on. Let it then be assumed that A and A use quadrantNo. 1, B and B quadrant No. 2, C and G quadrant No. 3, and D and Dquadrant No. 4. Any messages sent by A must be received by A and by noothersubscriber, since A is the only one whose receiving-sun flower isset upon the first quadrant, and since the line is dupleX while A issending to A the latter may be sending to A. Therefore all of thesunflowers ofA and A are set alike. In like manner communication isestablished between B and B during the time that the second quadrant ofthe sunflower is active and likewise with the other subscribers. Eachsubscriber will therefore receive messages from that subscriber onlyfrom whom it is intended that he shall receive, thereby insuring secrecyof transmission.

If there are only two subscribers at each end of the line, eachsubscriber may set the segments of his receiving-sunflower one hundredand. eighty degrees from his transmitting-segments, so that he willnever be receiving at the same time he is sending, and in this way fourmessages may be upon the line at the same time without duplexing themain line.

The main line when once duplexed needs no further attention, as it ispractically unaffected by changes in the weather. Any at tempt, however,to tamper with the line, as in an effort to prevent certain subscribersfrom receiving intelligence as soon as others, will result inunbalancing the line, resulting in its inoperativeness as well for onesubscriber as for another.

A satisfactory arrangement of the apparatus for driving thesunflower-trailers at any of the substations is shown in Figs. 3 and 4,where Q and Q represent disk armatures of the synchronizer carrying,respectively, direct-current motor-coils and the regulatingcoils, whileQ Q represent the synchronizer field-magnets. Both armatures are mountedon a common shaft 9, which geared to a countershaft g, carrying a disk 9which connects, through an electromagnetic coupling S, to an arm 8,which carries the sunflower-trailers. This coupling comprises a portionof the automatic trailer-adjusting device hereinbefore referred to.Current is led into the trailers by the brushes 3 s and away from thesunflowers by the cables .9 3 The brush 3 conducts current to the magnetS, which passes out through the contactsprings s s as the pin 5",carried by the gear 3 makes contact with them. The arms t t, capable ofbeing clamped by thumb-screws t to an upright V, are for the purpose ofadjusting the angular position of the sunflowers, the said sunflowersbeing separately mounted upon concentric tubes and '6 respectively. Therotary contact-maker M for the clapper of the keyboard is in this casemounted on the counter-shaft g.

It will be observed that the contact-maker M is shown in Figs. 3 and 4as provided with three brushes, whereas in the diagram Fig. 2 only twobrushes are shown. The third brush on the left (shown in Figs. 3 and 4)is used in connection with the counting mechanism of the keyboards andforms no immediate part of the present invention, and therefore need notbe described.

V represents a mercury or other liquid viscous damper, consisting of afly-wheel having an annular chamber filled or partly filled with mercuryor other liquid for damping the oscillations in the movement of thesynchronizer-shaft and assisting greatly in maintaining a uniform orsteady motion. This feature, however, forms no essential part of thepresent invention, being fully described in the application, Serial No.19,070, above re ferred to.

W represents the connection between the counter-shaft and the shaft uponwhich is mounted the type-wheel of a page-printer.

The form of the invention herein shown is susceptible to manymodifications and changes, which may be made without departing from thespirit tl1ereofsuch, for example, as the abandonment of the transformersand relaying the local current directly from the source of localcurrent, substituting other means than the condensers for producing thealternating current-such, for example,as the substitution of resistancesfor the condensersas shown in the patent to H. A. Rowland, No. 691,667,or by the use of the wellknown split battery or other suitable means.

What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. The combination with a telegraph-line, of central stations incommunication over said line, one or more substations at each end ofsaid line, a circuit relayed from the main line and passing from eachcentral station to its respective substations.

2. The combination with a telegraph-line, of central stationsincommunication over said line, one or more substations at each end of themain line, a circuit relayed from the mainline circuit and passing fromthe central stations to their respective substations, and receivingapparatus at the substations operating upon the said relayed circuit.

3. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of dynamo-electricmachines delivering alternating currents to said line, central stationsin communication over said line, substations at either end of said line,and a relayed receiving-circuit connecting said substations with saidcentral stations.

4. The combination with a telegraph-line, of a central station locatedat each end of said line, one or more substations, a transmittingcircuitforming a continuation of said main line at each end and extending tothe respective substations, and a receiving-circuit relayed at eachcentral station and passing to the respective substations.

5. The combination with a duplex telegraph-lin e, of a central stationlocated at each end of said line, one or more substations, atransmitting-circuit forming a continuation of said main line at eachend and extending to the respective substations, and a receiving-circuitrelayed at each central station and passing to the respectivesubstations.

6. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of means for impressingalternating electric currents on said line, a central station located ateach end of said line, one or more substations,a transmitting-circuitforming a continuation of said main line at each end and extending tothe respective substations, and a receiving-circuit relayed at eachcentral station and passing to the respective substations.

7. In a system of telegraphy, the combination with two central stations,a main line connecting said stations, one or more substations at eachend of said line, a line forming a continuation of the main line andconnecting the said central stations with their respective substations,main-line transmitting apparatus at each substation operating upon thesaid line connecting them with the central stations, a relayed circuitconnecting each of said substations with their respective centralstations, and receiving apparatus located at each of said substationsand operated upon said relayed circuit.

8. The combination with two central stations, a telegraph-lineconnecting said sta tions, one or more substations at each end of saidline, a line forming a continuation of the main line and connectingthesaid central stations with their respective substations,main-line-transmitting apparatus at each substation operating upon thesaid line connecting them with the central stations, a relayed circuitconnecting each of saidsubstations with their respective centralstations, main-line receiving apparatus located at each of saidsubstations and operated upon said relayed circuit, and local recordingapparatus located at the said substations for making a record of themessages.

9. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of a central stationlocated at each end of said line, a balanced main-line relay at each ofsaid stations, one or more substations operating through each of saidcentral stations, a transmitting-circuit forming a continuation of themain line at each end and passing to the respective substations, meanslocated'at the substations for impressing intelligence upon saidtransmitting-circuits, a source of direct current at each centralstation, a circuit at each central station carrying aperiodically-varying current relayed from said source of direct currentby the main-line central relay, said relayed circuit passing to therespective substations at each end of the line, receiving apparatus atthe substations operating upon the said relayed circuit, andalternatingcurrent dynamo-electric machines delivering currents to saidduplex line.

10. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of dynamo-electricmachines delivering alternating currents to said line, central stationsin communication over said line, substations at either end of said line,a relayed receiving-ci rcuit connecting said substations with saidcentral stations, and means located at each substation for allowing thesubstation apparatus the use of the main line at rapidly-recurringintervals.

11. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of a central stationlocated at each end of said line, one or more substations, a

transmitting-circuit forming a-continuation of said main line at eachend and extending to the respective substations, a receiving-circuitrelayed at each central station and passing to the respectivesubstations, and means located at each substation for allowing thesubstation apparatus the use of the main line at rapidly-recurringintervals.

12. The combination with a duplex telegraph-line, of a central stationlocated at each end of said line, one or more substations, atransmitting-circuit forming a continuation of said main line at eachend and extending to the respective substations, a receiving-cir- IIOcuit relayed at each central station and passing to the respectivesubstations, and synchronously-operated current-distributers located ateach substation for allowing the substation apparatus the use of themain line at rapidly-recurring intervals.

13. The combination with a telegraph-line, of a central station locatedat each end of said line, a balanced main-line relay at each of saidstations, one or more substations operating through each of said centralstations, a transmitting-circuit forming a continuation of the main lineat each end and passing to the respective substations, means located atthe substations for impressing intelligence upon saidtransmitting-circuits, a source of direct current at each centralstation, a circuit at each central station carrying aperiodically-Varying current relayed from said source of direct currentby the main-line central relay, said relayed circuit passing to therespective substations at each end of the line, receiving apparatus atthe substations operating upon the said relayed circuit, andalternating-current dynamo-electric machines delivering currents to saidmain line.

14. The combination with a telegraph-line, of a central station locatedat each end of said line, a balanced main-line relay at each of saidstations, one or more substations operating through each of said centralstations, a transmitting-circuit forming a continuation of the main lineat each end and passing to the respective substations, means located atthe substations for impressing intelligence upon saidtransmitting-circuits, a source of direct current at each centralstation, a circuit at each central station carrying aperiodically-varying current relayed from said source of direct currentby the main-line central relay, a transformer connected in said relayedcircuit, a circuit connected to the secondary of said transformerpassing to the respective substations at each end of the line, receivingapparatus at the substations operating upon the said relayed circuit,and alternating-current dynamo-electric machines delivering currents tosaid main line.

15. The combination with a telegraph-line, of dynamo-electric machinesdelivering alternating currents to said line, central stations incommunication over said line, substations at either end of said line, arelayed receivingcircuit connecting said substations with said centralstations, and means located at each substation for allowing thesubstation apparatus the use of the main line at rapidly-recurringintervals.

16. The combination with a telegraph-line, of a central station locatedat each end of said line, one or more substations, atransmitting-circuit forming a continuation of said main line at eachend and extending to the respective substations, a receiving-circuitrelayed at each central station and passing to the respectivesubstations, and means located at each substation for allowing thesubstation apparatus the use of the main line at rapidly-recurringintervals.

17. The combination with a telegraph-line, of a central station locatedat each end of said line, one or more substations, atransmitting-circuit forming a continuation of said main line at eachend and extending to the respective substations, a receiving circuitrelayed at each central station and passing to the respectivesubstations, and synchronously-operated current-distributors located ateach substation for allowing the substation apparatus the use of themain line at rapidlyrecurring intervals.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRIETTA H. ROWLAND, Administratrz'oc ofthe estate of Henry A. Rowland,deceased.

Witnesses:

COLUMBUS OD. LEE, D. N. SILLs.

